Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace
by headoverhook
Summary: Everyone is gathered at the church, waiting for Barney and Sarah to get married. But Robin just realized that she is still in love with Barney. Now she is stuck and has to watch him promising another woman that he will love her forever. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**I need to prepare myself for the possibility that Robin might not be the bride, even though I think there are quiet a few signs pointing towards her being his bride but you never know, so I thought of a scenario that I would want to see if Robin is really not the bride. I'm aware that it's extremely cliché but I couldn't help myself. :-) Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

She'd thought she could do it. She'd thought she could convince everyone including herself that she didn't care. Well, she couldn't convince herself anymore. Her hands were shaking even though she repeatedly had balled them into fists and pressed them against her thighs, hoping that she wouldn't ruin her dress by doing so. It didn't work. She felt her breath quicken and feared that she would start hyperventilating any second.

Why now? Why now when it was too late to do anything?

Robin shook her head, forcing herself to take in deep and slow breaths. She needed to calm down. She didn't have any feelings for Barney anymore. Not beyond friendship anyway.

But why was she freaking out then?

Robin pinched her nose with her fingers, still trying to avoid a panic attack by slowing down her breathing. She slumped down into a chair putting her head between her knees when dark spots suddenly appeared in her vision.

What was wrong with her?

But Robin knew what was wrong with her though she tried desperately to convince herself otherwise. She was not still in love with Barney. She was not sitting in a church where he would get married in a few minutes, realizing that the man she was in love with would marry another woman. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be true. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead and she wiped it away with trembling fingers.

She was really a mess. She had pushed him away two years ago and broke his heart. She had seen it in his eyes. The hurt, the defeat. He'd moved on. Really moved on. Robin felt the urge to hit her head against the wall. She had rejected him and now she was sitting here, being a pathetic mess and it hit her like a freight train. She couldn't believe how she could have been so stupid, how she could push the one man who was able to make her truly happy away.

Robin's vision blurred with tears. She'd lost him the moment she'd shaken her head to tell him that she'd chosen Kevin. He had given her his heart and she'd driven a stake through it. Pressing her eyes together so that the tears couldn't fall, she gritted her teeth until her jaw hurt. Her epiphany had come too late. Taking in a shuddering breath, she tried to regain her composure. She needed to walk out of the room in a few minutes. In a few minutes she would have to watch Barney promising another woman that he would love her for the rest of his life.

Suddenly the door sprang open and Ted rushed into the room, startling Robin and she jumped up from the chair. "Everything is okay with the groom and bride. Everyone is reassured and ready to go. Sarah actually asked for me to make sure that Barney didn't run." Ted chuckled but his smile dropped when he saw Robin flinch out of the corner of his eyes.

"Is everything alright, Robin? You look a little pale." When Ted looked at her more closely, he could see the turmoil and a telltale shimmer in her eyes. Something was definitely wrong. "Robin?"

Robin raised her hand defensively when Ted stepped closer. She didn't want him to comfort her. She didn't want to tell him anything. "I'm fine. It's just a little stuffy in here."

Ted furrowed his eyes in suspicion. There was nothing wrong with the air in here and he took in a deep breath, voicing the one thing that came to his mind. "Is it Barney?"

"What about Barney?" Robin asked. "You've just told me that everything is okay."

"No, no." Ted replied. "Nothing is wrong with Barney but you are trying to distract me."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Are you in love with him?" Ted asked cautiously.

"Who? Barney?" Robin laughed out loud but it sounded shrill and fake. "Of course I love him, Ted. As a friend. Nothing more."

"Are you sure?"

"What's with all these questions, Ted?" Robin asked annoyed, hoping that he would just drop it. "I'm happy for him."

"It was just a feeling. But if everything is alright we should go and take our places in the church."

"Sure. Lead the way."

~B&R~

Robin was kneading her fingers, her knee moving up and down in a staccato tempo that made Lily dizzy. Lily put one hand on Robin's knee to stop the movement and one over her hands, looking worried at her best friend.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Lily."

"You don't look like you're fine." Lily insisted.

"But I am, Lily. Why shouldn't I? One of my best friends is going to marry the woman he loves!"

"Robin, are you sure ..."

"Lily!" Robin wrapped her fingers around Lily's hand and squeezed tightly. "Don't!"

Lily's brows furrowed in confusion for a few seconds, and Robin could see the exact moment her friend realized why she was so agitated. Robin could feel her flinch, and she only shook her head, telling Lily silently to let it go.

But Lily's mind already raced a mile a minute, contemplating all the possibilities how she could stop the wedding or at least cause some scene to postpone it so that she would get a chance to talk to Robin and to Barney.

Robin's agitated state could only mean one thing. She was still in love with Barney and Lily couldn't let Barney getting married when she wasn't one hundred percent certain that he had no feelings for Robin anymore.

Her gaze shot to Ted and he raised his eyebrows in question when his eyes fell on Lily and Robin. Lily's shocked expression and her gaze going back and forth between Robin and Barney only confirmed his suspicions.

Robin had lied. She was still in love with Barney. His eyes went back to Barney who was standing beside him looking down the aisle watching his bride coming towards him. Ted could see it deep in his eyes. It hadn't been the normal jitters before a wedding when Barney had asked him if he had made the right choice. Deep down his best friend was still in love with Robin and Ted couldn't believe that he hadn't seen it before.

They both had lied to him over and over again. Maybe to protect their hearts from breaking again, maybe because they had been too scared to try again. But he should have seen it. One of them should have seen it sooner. But neither Marshall, nor Lily, nor he did see it. They had really believed that Barney was happy with Sarah and that Robin was happy for him.

Sarah had reached the altar and was standing beside Barney now, the priest beginning with the ceremony and they were running out of time.

Ted looked back at his friends in the first row and he saw Robin's pained expression, saw the urge to run in her eyes and suddenly she broke eye contact with him and slipped out of the bench into the side corridor, hurrying towards the exit on tiptoes so that the heels of her shoes wouldn't make a sound on the tiled floor of the church. She was almost at the door when the priest announced the question that he was sure had prompted Robin to flee.

"If any of you has reasons why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Robin froze at the door when silence fell over the church. If she would open the door now everyone would look at her and she didn't want to draw any attention to herself. It was just too obvious for everyone who knew Barney and her why she was running and the last one she wanted to realize that she was leaving was the groom himself.

The seconds ticked by and Ted knew that the priest would continue with the ceremony any moment and he suddenly couldn't stop himself from saying the words that shouldn't have come over his lips.

"I have a reason."

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><p><strong>Well, I think it would be very HIMYM-y if they would go down that road and in my opinion would totally fit Barney's character. I have no idea how long this story is going to be. It's up to my muse. :-)<strong>

**So ... tell me what you think and hit the button below.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I wanted to get this story updated before I torture myself with watching Castle from yesterday. At least Bones is finally back! :-)**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

Ted could hear the shocked intakes of breath echoing through the whole church, could see Robin's eyes widen in shock before his gaze went back to Barney who looked at him in utter disbelief. It was the first time since Ted knew Barney that he rendered him speechless. Barney opened and closed his mouth, trying several times to say something but wasn't able to actually speak. Sarah stood beside Barney shooting daggers at Ted and he felt guilty for ruining their wedding day. But he had just realized that Barney didn't make the right choice. He didn't choose the right tie. The tie was all wrong.

The priest finally yanked himself out of his surprised stupor and licking his lips he asked quietly.

"And what would that reason be, son?"

Ted locked eyes with Barney, shrugging his shoulders apologetically, hoping that Barney wouldn't kill him afterwards before he spoke for everyone clearly to hear.

"Because he isn't in love with the bride, he is in love with someone else."

"What are you talking about?" Sarah stepped one step closer to him so that she could hiss it in his ear, her face red with anger.

"I'm sorry, Sarah." Ted stated quietly. "He isn't in love with you. He might love you. No, he definitely loves you! But not the way he should love the woman he is going to marry. His heart belongs to someone else."

Now that he'd interrupted the wedding it was better to open Sarah's eyes and he couldn't stand beside Barney and let him make the biggest mistake of his life.

"And you know that how? With whom is he in love?"

Barney gulped hard and Ted suddenly knew that he'd made the right decision. He could see it in Barney's eyes. Barney knew of whom he was talking and he didn't look surprised. He didn't look angry. He knew whose name Ted would say and he didn't move a finger to stop him from saying it. He wanted him to say it and Ted could swear that he even saw Barney nod in silent approval.

"He is in love with Robin." Ted said quietly, his glance shot to the entrance, locking eyes with Robin. "And she is in love with him."

The last sentence caused an uproar in the church, everyone started to whisper. Judging by the confusion on some faces, some people didn't know who Robin was. Others started to look frantically around to catch a glimpse of the woman who destroyed the wedding, clearly knowing who Robin was.

Robin used the distraction to slip out of the church without anyone noticing or so she thought. But Barney did notice it. He'd followed Ted's gaze and caught the last glimpse of her dress, disappearing out of the door. He couldn't hold it against her. He would leave this mess if he could.

Barney's mother was sitting motionlessly in the first row, watching her son intently. She had known that something was wrong with the wedding but her son being his old evasive self had denied it. She needed to thank Ted later. Her son had definitely been too much of a coward to blow off the wedding or he had really managed to convince himself that he had no feelings for Robin anymore. But he hadn't said anything against Ted's assumption which spoke volumes of his feelings. Clearly Sarah thought so too.

"You!" Sarah turned towards Barney, pointing an accusatory finger at him, her voice thick with hardly contained rage. "Why are you so awfully quiet?"

"I had nothing to do with that!" Barney said, realizing the second she saw the fury in her eyes that this had been definitely the wrong answer. He should have denied Ted's statement. But he couldn't tell her that Ted was wrong, because he wasn't.

"You bastard!" Sarah shouted as she raised her hand and slapped him in the face. "You lying, cheating bastard!"

"I didn't cheat!" Barney rubbed his hand over his cheek, feeling the burn of her fingers on his skin. For such a small person she had slapped him pretty hard.

"Maybe not physically, but it still counts as cheating." When Barney stayed silent without defending himself, Sarah suddenly got quiet, her voice full of hurt and betrayal. "So it's true? You are in love with Robin?" Sarah looked at him inquiringly and Barney averted his gaze to the ground. He wasn't even able to admit it to himself. How should he be able to say it out loud in front of all those people? "I think I should be thanking Ted for stopping this wedding, before I ended up being married to a man who doesn't love me."

"I do love you, Sarah!" Barney felt the need to interject.

"But you aren't in love with me!" Sarah replied softly, tears welling up in her eyes.

Barney looked in her watery eyes and shook his head slowly. After all of this the only thing he could do was telling her the truth, even if it was only by shaking his head.

"You are a jerk! I hope I'll never see you again." Sarah said, before she turned around and stormed out of the church, leaving him behind to deal with the mess.

~B&R~

"Are you okay, Barney?" Lily slipped quietly in the room, her worried eyes landing on her friend.

"What do you think?" Barney replied harshly, rubbing his temples in the hope to ease the pounding in his head.

Sarah's parents had yelled at him for an hour, her mother looking as if she would slap him any second, only hold back by Sarah's father, so he had looked like he wanted to slap him too. Not that Barney was in the slightest shocked. He deserved it. He should have never proposed to Sarah, knowing deep down that he would never stop loving Robin.

"I'm sorry, Barney." Lily said softly.

"Sorry for what? Ruining my wedding?" Barney snapped back. He was exhausted, though he should be grateful that Lily had taken charge of throwing the wedding guests out of the church.

"Technically, I ruined your wedding." Ted said when he entered the room, followed by Marshall. "Lily was only looking frantically back and forth between you and Robin."

"And because Lily looked weird, you've stopped the wedding?" Barney asked him surprised.

"Not exactly." Ted replied. "I've looked for Robin before the wedding and found her in here. She didn't look good. She looked as if she had been crying but she didn't want to tell me why and of course she denied it when I've asked her if it's because of you."

"Maybe it wasn't because of me." Barney murmured quietly. "Did you ever consider that possibility?"

"Yes!" Ted told him. "But that was before I've seen that Lily had the same concerns."

"Why didn't you tell me before the wedding?" Barney asked confused. "When I ask you if I was making the right choice?"

"I know it sounds insane, but you've asked me before I've seen Robin."

"If I understand you correctly, she didn't say anything. She didn't say that she is in love with me. You'd just interpreted her actions."

"Yes, but Barney ..." Lily inhaled deeply. "How long do we know Robin?"

"Almost ten years." Barney said softly.

"Ten years, Barney! She might not have said anything but seeing you actually standing at the altar with the intent to marry another woman threw her."

"Maybe." Barney said reluctantly, not willing to fully accept that his friends might be right, refusing to let hope rise up his chest.

"Where is Robin anyway?" Marshall asked.

"She fled the scene." Barney told them. "I wished I could have fled too."

"Barney?" Ted asked cautiously, waiting until Barney looked him in the eyes. "Did I make the wrong decision?"

Barney stayed quiet for a minute, staring over Ted's shoulder, his eyes fixed on the opposite wall. Taking a deep breath, he looked at his friend again, a small but sad smile lifting one corner of his mouth.

"No. You were right. I'm not in love with her."

"So, are you in love with Robin?"

Another silence stretched between the friends. Ted, Marshall and Lily looked intently at him, waiting patiently for his answer. Barney's gaze was glued to the floor, arguments racing through his mind but suddenly Robin's face appeared in his thoughts, lit up by a smile and his heart skipped a beat. He couldn't deny it any longer.

"Yes." He said barely above a whisper. "God help me, yes!"

Yanking angrily at his tie, he threw it on the floor the moment he'd untied the knot, rubbing his fingers through his hair before he collapsed into a chair, burying his face into his hands.

"Barney!" Lily stepped forward, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"But I shouldn't love her, Lily." Barney mumbled into his hands. "I don't wanna love her. It hurts too much to love her."

"Obviously your heart still wants her." Lily reasoned and Barney looked up, his eyes full of despair.

"But she broke it, Lily."

"I thought you'd both decided breaking up would be the best decision." Lily frowned, surprised by the vehemence in his voice.

"He is not talking about the break up, Lily." Ted spoke quietly.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked him confused.

"You remember Barney and Robin sharing a cab after Barney got rid of the ducky tie by giving Marshall more slaps?"

"Sure. That was about two years ago. Why?"

"We spent the night together." Barney replied softly, his voice hoarse with emotions. "And the next day we'd decided to give us another chance. Well, apparently I'd been the only one who wanted this second chance."

"What happened?" Lily asked, shocked that they had been able to hide it from her.

"She chose Kevin." Ted replied, when Barney didn't make a move to respond.

"And you just gave up?" Lily asked Barney incredulously.

"What was I supposed to do, Lily?" Barney asked harshly, surprised by Lily's outburst.

"You two are the biggest idiots I've ever seen in my whole life!" Lily exploded and Barney's eyes widened in astonishment when she stabbed her finger into his chest.

"What?" Barney asked completely baffled, rubbing over the spot where Lily had just pinched him.

"We've always thought that you two are perfect for each other. You are our best friends. We want you to be happy. Both of you. But it looked like you couldn't make each other happy." Lily shook her head slightly. "She'd told me that there is nothing between you two anymore, even after I've told her that this kind of chemistry doesn't just go away."

"When did you tell her that?" Barney asked surprised.

"Do you remember Punchy's wedding?"

"Yeah, vaguely."

"I've told her to tell you the truth." Lily said. "If she doesn't want you, she should tell you."

"We've danced together but she didn't say anything, though I think she wanted to tell me something but then ..."

"Nora called." Lily finished his sentence.

"Ahh, that's why she said 'timing is a bitch'!" Ted interjected, sounding as if he'd just solved a puzzle. "I knew something was bothering her and that it didn't come completely out of the blue."

"Huh?" Barney looked completely lost now. He didn't knew how much had been going on at this wedding behind his back.

"She found me on the balcony that night." Ted explained. "I've told her that I've stopped believing in destiny. But she'd told me that I should start believing again. She said if you have chemistry you only need one other thing and that's timing but that timing is a bitch."

"Shit! And I've asked her to help me out with Nora." Barney groaned loudly, burying his face in his hands again.

"What exactly did you do, Barney?"

Barney flinched when he remembered what he'd asked of Robin. In light of what Lily and Ted had just told him, the sadness he'd thought he could detect in Robin's voice that day made a lot more sense. But he had been so happy that Nora had given him a second chance, so he'd dismissed the feeling that something was wrong with Robin without questioning it further.

"Barney?" Lily pressed further.

"I've asked her to tell me what I should say to Nora. That I wanted to know how it feels to not screw things up for a change."

"Do you remember what she'd told you?"

Barney pressed his eyes shut, letting out a huge sigh. "Every single word. Unfortunately. Damn, she was talking about us and I've been completely clueless."

"What did she say?" Lily asked curiously and Barney recited Robin's exact words with still closed eyes.

"The reason I've called is to tell you how I feel about you. I know we didn't work out the first time and I know it doesn't make any sense. But I can't shake the feeling that we belong together. Is there any part of you that wants to try again?"

Barney slowly opened his eyes and Lily felt sorry for him when she saw how crushed he was that he hadn't understood that Robin was talking about them.

"Don't you think it's time to stop running away from each other?" Lily asked softly. "You apparently can't live without each other."

"Maybe!" Barney replied thoughtfully. "But ..."

Suddenly the ringing of Lily's cell interrupted him and Lily threw him an apologetic glance.

"It's from Robin." Lily furrowed her brows in confusion as she opened Robin's text, suppressing a curse when she read it.

"What?" Barney asked urgently when he saw the odd expression on Lily's face. "Everything okay with her?"

"She just got on a plane to Vancouver."


	3. Chapter 3

**At first I thought this is going to be a shorter chapter than usual but then I sat down and started writing and couldn't stop. LOL. That's what happens if I unleash my muse. Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

The door fell shut behind her with a loud thud that made Robin jump in surprise. Fortunately she was certain that the commotion, that had started the moment Ted had told the whole church that Barney couldn't marry Sarah, had drown out the sound completely.

Did that really just happen?

She always thought these things only happened in movies or TV shows but not in real life. She always pitied the brides being left at the altar by a bastard of a man who'd realized in the last minute that he didn't want to give up his bachelor life. If someone had asked her seven years ago she wouldn't have imagined Barney to get married either. He seemed to enjoy his life too much. Hopping from one bed to another, enjoying the fact that he didn't need to deal with a woman longer than a few hours and could kick her out the other day.

_He hadn't done it with you._

A small voice whispered in her head. But Robin had always assumed that it had been the exception of the rule. She'd liked the thought that they had something special. That she was special.

Looking back at the last year, Robin realized that since the moment Barney had introduced Sarah to them, she had felt a strange feeling in her stomach. Sarah was different. Barney seemed to be extremely fond of her, not trying to impress her by changing who he was, like he had done many times before. He had been Barney. The Barney he was in front of them. His best friends.

She'd refused to analyze the feeling and had just shoved it back into a dark corner of her mind, like she had always done when unwanted feelings for Barney rose in her chest. She'd always told herself that this ship had sailed and would never come back. She'd convinced herself that she didn't want it to come back.

Of course these feelings chose the worst moment to come to the surface again. Minutes away from Barney being lost to her forever. But even the thought that she'd lost him forever didn't make her react. She hadn't thought that she had the right to interrupt his wedding. She had no right to elicit any doubts in his mind. She hadn't even been sure if telling him about her feelings in the last minute would even evoke any doubts in him.

But apparently Ted had taken matters in his own hands. The moment his 'I have a reason' had echoed through the church Robin had wished the earth would burst open under her and swallow her whole. A wave of shock had sloshed over her, followed immediately by a feeling of utter relief. Relief that had made her feeling guilty instantly. She had her chance a long time ago. She shouldn't be the reason his wedding was destroyed. Not to mention the hell that had broken loose in the church.

Ted had sounded so convinced. As if he couldn't believe that he hadn't seen it sooner. But Robin wasn't sure if they actually had overseen anything. Of course her feelings were real. She had clearly banished them for a very long time. So it was no surprise that her best friends hadn't seen that she was still in love with Barney. She hadn't seen it herself until a few minutes ago.

But Barney?

She wasn't sure about his feelings. Maybe he had loved her a few years ago. But now? Maybe there is was still a part of him who loved her but she broke his heart and she didn't know if he could ever forgive her for choosing Kevin when she should have chosen him.

A lonely tear trailed down her cheek and she wiped it away angrily.

"Robin Scherbatsky, get your act together!" She hissed angrily. "It's your fault that he chose to marry another woman. You were the one who shoved him away and now you want to break out in tears because he actually found another woman. That's pathetic."

But Ted, one of his best friends, told the whole church that Barney's heart belonged to someone else. Robin had hold her breath, waiting for him to tell everyone who it was he thought was in Barney's heart. She couldn't prevent her heart from jumping in her chest, her blood had rushed through her veins and she'd feared that she would black out any second.

She still felt weak on her feet. Her heart longed for the man that had stood at the front of the altar in his black suit. When she closed her eyes she could still see the shocked expression on Barney's face as if it was imprinted on her retina. But she could also remember when his face had softened and she could swear she'd seen him giving Ted a small nod before Ted told everyone that Barney was in love with her.

Could it really be that he was still in love with her? Could it be that she had still a chance of sharing the rest of her life with him? Or was the expression she'd seen on his face only a figment of her imagination? Did she want him so badly that her mind had played tricks on her and showed her what she wanted to see?

She wasn't sure. She wasn't sure of anything right now but her feelings for Barney. But she couldn't stay. Every second the door could open and the guests would stream out of the church. She didn't want to get caught standing outside the church with a tear-stained face, her mascara probably smeared over her whole face. She needed to get out of here. She didn't want to see all the accusatory glances and hear all the whisper behind her back. She wouldn't keep it together if someone would actually tell her in her face what a bitch she was.

So Robin rushed to the sidewalk and ran as fast as her high heels would allow to the next bus station. She had no time to wait on a cab. Especially not in this neighborhood where the chance to get a cab would be lower than to get hit by a lightening.

~B&R~

For once the powers of the universe had seemed to be on her side. The moment she'd reached the bus station a bus had arrived and she'd hopped on it, not caring in which direction it would drive. Fortunately it had headed in the vague direction of her apartment and half an hour later she was standing in her living room.

But she didn't feel better, not even being surrounded by her own four walls made her heart stop racing. She felt as if she'd just run a marathon. She couldn't be here. She couldn't be here when their friends would arrive. And they would come to her apartment eventually. It was just a matter of time. She couldn't look into their eyes, especially not in _his _eyes. Knowing him, he wouldn't chicken out, he would come to see her, talk to her, confront her. She wasn't ready for all of this. She needed to leave. Needed to get away as far and fast as she could.

Robin stumbled towards her phone, her hands shaking as she typed the familiar number, waiting impatiently for someone to answer on the other end.

"Vancouver Airlines, I'm Jane Pierce. How can I help you?" A bored voice came over the line.

"I need the next flight available from JFK to Vancouver." Robin blurted out without preamble, not in the mood to exchange any pleasantries, begging silently that she would get away from Manhattan in the next three hours, estimating that it would take a little longer for her friends to deal with the mess she'd just left.

"It's in two hours." The woman on the other end told her after several minutes and Robin let out a sigh in relief. "We have still some free seats but only first class."

"Doesn't matter. I'll take it."

~B&R~

He couldn't believe it. She'd just hopped on a plane and left. Without giving him a chance to talk to her. He was fuming. She had just ruined his wedding day. Barney was well aware that it was completely unjustified to blame Robin for what had happened a few hours ago in the church. She didn't say anything. But thinking about it, her saying nothing, made the whole situation even worse.

"I swear Robin Scherbatsky, I'm freaking going to kill you when I find you." Barney mumbled angrily but louder than he'd intended to and the cab driver threw him a startled look through the rear-view mirror.

Great, now the cab driver thought he was a psychopath who was going to kill a woman. This day couldn't get any worse. But apparently only thinking that the universe had thrown enough curveballs at him today had upset it even more. When he arrived at the airport his flight was delayed and wouldn't depart in the next two hours.

The urge to punch a hole in the next wall was almost unbearable. He was stuck at the airport, and Robin was going to land in three hours. That meant she would have a head start of five hours and by the time he would land she could be anywhere. Not that it discouraged him in the slightest. He would find her and if he had to tear the city apart.

He didn't want to have time to think but he knew that his mind wouldn't stop spinning until he had finally found her and that could take a while, especially considering that it would take him approximately seven hours to even get to Vancouver. A lot time to mull over everything that happened today and to keep the memories in check, that were assaulting his brain. Memories about their time together, memories about their dance at Punchy's wedding, memories about the day they'd shared the cab and fell into bed with each other again.

Everyone knew that he'd shared his bed with a lot of women. He had seen it all. The kinky sex, the boring sex, the mind-blowingly fantastic sex. But having sex with Robin had always been different. It was special. Maybe because he'd enjoyed wrapping his arms around her afterwards until they 'd fallen asleep. Maybe it was because having sex with Robin was more about making love than satisfying their biological urges. Not that they hadn't had sex that almost set the sheets on fire. Once he'd expected that the bed would break down under them any second. Their sex had been wild and steamy most of the times, but he also remembered the times were he'd moved in such an excruciatingly slow pace inside of her that she'd begged him to move faster, pleaded with him to take her hard.

Barney closed his eyes, balling his hands into fists. Only thinking about her in bed, made his heart ache. It had taken him months before he could sleep without having erotic dreams about her, without waking up and wanting to roll around to wrap his arm around her and pull her into his chest because the dreams had been so vivid that he'd needed a few seconds before he'd realized that he was alone in bed.

He was still angry at her for choosing Kevin. He'd almost heard his own heart breaking that night at Mac Laren's. For a split second he'd felt as if he wouldn't be able to breathe any longer and the first breath after she'd shaken her head had felt as if his lungs had been filled with liquid fire.

He'd always tried to avoid such situations. There had been a reason why he'd chosen to stay away from relationships. He'd chosen to jump from woman to woman to protect his heart. But Robin had just snuck up on him. He didn't plan on falling in love with her, but then he'd found her at Mac Laren's crying because her teenager crush had dumped her. He hadn't planned on kissing her that night, it'd just happened. And then he woke up and it was too late. She was in his heart without even trying and she never left.

When he'd met Sarah, he was still trying to forget Robin. She was a nice distraction at first, but one day he'd realized that he couldn't wait for Robin to change her mind forever. He had to move on. So he did and proposed to Sarah. It seemed to be the right decision at the time.

How should he have known that Robin was still in love with him? How should he have known that he had still a chance of having a life with her by his side?

If it hadn't been for Ted he would be standing on the dance floor right about now to have his first dance with his wife. With the woman he'd thought he would spend the rest of his life with. Have children. A family.

But Ted had been right. He loved Sarah. But he was not in love with her. He'd never understood the difference. Never understood why people made such a fuss about the difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. But he got it now. There was a difference. Like there was a difference in having sex and making love.

The only woman he'd ever been in love with was Robin. It didn't matter that she couldn't have any children. She never wanted any in the first place. He knew that. Of course there had been times in his life where he had been thinking about being a father. He would love to hold a child in his arm. But only if it was with the right woman.

He didn't need to have children in his life if it meant he had to live his life without Robin. He loved her more than he would ever love anything in his life. He wouldn't say it out loud but he believed that she was his soul mate. The one person who could make him whole.

It didn't matter that she broke his heart. He still felt hurt but it didn't change the fact that he wanted her back. He'd always wanted her back. He wanted to feel her skin against his again, wanted to hear her begging for more, wanted to share his bed and life with her. He'd missed their fooling around. He'd missed the feeling that he was one lucky bastard because he'd fallen in love with his best friend.

This was it. The one true love. He wouldn't turn his back on the last chance with her. He would hunt her down. He would yell at her, no doubt, and she deserved it. But he was pretty sure that he couldn't be angry with her for long. He would give himself thirty minutes to clear the air before he would kiss her senseless. It was going to be the best make-up sex this world had ever seen.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. They would talk about everything that had happened today and over the last two years but first he needed to release the pressure. He needed to satisfy the desire that plagued him since the moment she chose the wrong guy. But first he needed to find her.

The announcer interrupted his thoughts, telling him that his flight was finally ready for boarding. Only five hours to go. Only five hours until he would be setting foot on Canadian soil and could start searching for her.

~B&R~

Robin didn't have the energy left to deal with her father right now. So she just took a motel room in downtown Vancouver and crashed on the bed. She needed some hours of sleep. Maybe everything would look better when she woke up.

An insistent knocking woke her up only five hours later and she stumbled out of bed, the watch on the nightstand telling her that it was in the middle of the night. If she'd been fully awake she wouldn't have opened the door without asking who was there, but her mind was still foggy and she just opened the door without checking. She'd already opened her mouth to yell at the person on the other side when she locked eyes with the last person she would have expected.

"Barney?" Robin asked completely baffled, her eyes taking in his ruffled appearance. He looked exhausted. His clothes were a mess and his hair stuck in all directions. He was a far cry away from his normally neat appearance. "What are you doing here?"

"Making sure that you are coming back."


	4. Chapter 4

**I know I'm scratching the M-line with this chapter, but I don't think I have to change the rating to M for it. Like I've said before, you all watch HIMYM and this show is extremely dirty. There is nothing in this chapter you haven't seen or heard before on the show. :-) Enjoy!  
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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

"I ..." Robin trailed off, pressing her eyes shut for a few seconds, before she opened them again slowly. She almost pinched herself, because she wasn't sure if Barney standing in front of her hotel room wasn't only a figment of her imagination. But he was still standing outside the door, his hands buried in his pants, a tired expression on his face. "I can't believe you're here."

"Well, I am. Would you mind if I come in?" Barney asked politely and Robin raised her eye brows in confusion. She'd expected him to be angry with her, shouting at her, not this.

"Of course." Robin stepped aside and let him in. When the arm of his suit brushed her skin, goosebumps raced over her whole body. He'd followed her to Canada, he flew across the whole country to talk to her and that could only mean ... no she wouldn't let herself hope for something that might not be the case. Maybe he hadn't yelled at her immediately because he was only waiting for her to close the door. He had to be upset. After all he should be in bed with his wife right now.

Even though he was now standing right in front of her, she could still feel her heart constrict when she was thinking of him being with another woman. She didn't know why he was here but at least he wasn't married and this was a small miracle. If it hadn't been for Ted, she would have had to live with the what if's for the rest of her life, always wondering if Barney would have chosen her if she had told him that she was still in love with him. Now she had the chance to tell him about her feelings, but the moment he'd entered the room he'd stepped to the window and he'd still hadn't said anything.

Barney was standing with his back to the room, staring aimlessly out of the window. He'd been angry and furious the whole flight and it'd taken him two hours to find her, after he'd made several phone calls to people who owed him a favor. But he'd finally found her. But the moment she'd opened the door his anger had crumbled down in rapid speed and all he'd wanted to do was to wrap his arms around her and pull her into his chest and never let her go again.

But he couldn't let her get away that easy. At least they needed to talk first. After all he hadn't heard it from her so far. Lily and Ted had told him that Robin was in love with him, but she hadn't said it. She'd only fled out of the church, out of the country.

Barney could feel her hand brushing over his arm before her soft voice reached his ear. "Barney?"

As he turned around sharply, she jumped back immediately and he furrowed his brows. "Are you scared of me?"

"No, of course not." Robin replied determined, though her voice betrayed her and wavered on the last word.

Barney stepped closer, purposely showing no emotion and Robin moved backwards until her back hit the wall.

"I should be angry at you." Barney growled. "I've told myself on the way here that I would yell at you for at least half an hour, because you would deserve it."

"I know." Robin replied softly. "I'm sorry, Barney."

"You are sorry?" Barney gritted out through clenched teeth.

"I had no right to disturb your wedding." Robin clarified, not sure why he was pissed off at her for apologizing.

"Damn it, Robin." Barney's hand smacked against the wall beside her head and Robin flinched. "Damn it to hell. You should have said something sooner. Why didn't you talk to me?"

"I …" Robin started to respond, but Barney interrupted her.

"If Ted wouldn't have said anything I would have gotten married." Barney huffed. "So answer me one question, Robin. How could you let it get that far? Why did you need to wait until the last minute?"

"I didn't realize it sooner, Barney."

"What exactly didn't you realize?"

"What do you mean?"

"I want to hear it, Robin." Barney said intently, his voice getting hoarse with hardly suppressed emotions. "Just say it."

"What do you want me to say?" Robin asked, already suspecting what he wanted to hear from her, and he had every right to demand it from her.

"Say the words." Barney whispered, pressing his hands into the wall beside her head, his arms enclosing her. "Say it."

Robin took in a deep breath, looking into his blue eyes. Raising her hand slowly, she trailed a finger over his lips, before she let her hand wander along his jaw line, her palm caressing his cheek.

"I'm in love with you, Barney." Robin said barely above a whisper. "I've always been in love with you. I'm sorry for being such a coward. For running away from us. I should have chosen you two years ago. My heart wanted you, but I was too scared. Too scared because my love for you burnt a hole in my heart with its intensity. But I'm not afraid anymore. I want you, Barney. I love you."

Barney looked her deep in the eyes as if he was trying to see the truth of her words in there before he leaned forward until his forehead touched hers. Closing his eyes, he replied hoarsely. "I've missed you so much, Robin."

"Not as much as I've missed you." Robin whispered, threading her hands in his hair.

"Not possible." Barney leaned back, a small smile appearing on his face.

"You have no idea." Robin said seriously.

Her fingers trailed under his jacket, pushing it over his shoulders before she moved her hands down his chest, opening his shirt, letting it follow the jacket on the floor. Pressing her hands into his chest, she stood up on her tiptoes, trailing with her tongue along his lips and he opened his mouth, his tongue meeting hers, barely touching.

"Say it." Robin whispered above his lips. "I want you to say it."

Barney's lips closed the gap once again and he pressed them against her mouth, his tongue demanding her lips to open up and the moment she allowed his tongue in, he kissed her slowly but so thoroughly that she melted into his arms, barely able to hold herself upright. Barney released her lips and kissed a trail along her throat, his tongue caressing her collar bone.

"I'm in love with you, Robin. Always was, always will." Barney murmured over her skin, his hands roaming over her stomach, pulling her shirt over her head. Bending down, he swooped her up into his arms, carrying her to the bed where he slowly lowered her onto the mattress.

"I love you, Robin."

His gaze ran admiringly up and down her body, before his hands reached for her pants and pulled them slowly down her legs. Robin crawled forward, kneeling in front of him, unfastening his belt and taking off his pants and boxer briefs. It was now her turn to let her gaze roam over his body.

Barney leaned over her, pushing her back into the mattress, his fingers being all over her body. Her bra and panties joined their other clothes on the floor a few moments later before he pinned her down with his body, finally able to be together with her again in every possible way.

Every stroke felt like a caress, his eyes boring into hers, not allowing her to look away, to close her eyes. He was baring his soul to her. She could see it in his eyes, could feel it in every movement of his body. His love making was so excruciatingly slow but still so powerful that a sob almost escaped her throat as she got overwhelmed by her feelings and she wanted to avert her gaze, didn't want him to see her inner turmoil. She felt as if his fingers reached inside of her and touched her soul and the thought scared her like hell. But he didn't allow her to turn away, his hands holding her face firmly in place.

"Don't." Barney whispered hoarsely, never stopping his slow thrusts. "Let me see, Robin. Let me in."

His tenderness was her undoing and she gave up the last walls she'd build around her heart over the years to protect it from being hurt. She couldn't deny him anything. He was the love of her life and he'd just given his heart to her, making her realize that her heart had always belonged to him.

"You've never left." Robin breathed, feeling the first tugs of her orgasm clenching her stomach. Arching her back, she tried to coax him into moving faster but he didn't change his pace and a few minutes later she shattered under him, taking him with her.

~B&R~

This was it. Barney wanted to wake up with her in his arms for the rest of his life. Her weight on his chest closed up his throat. He'd missed her so much and it still felt like a dream having her in his arms again. Threading his fingers through her hair, he turned his head and pressed a kiss on her forehead. Robin grumbled something incoherently and pressed herself further in his body and a smile appeared on Barney's face. He loved her and he didn't want to wait.

"Let's go to Vegas." Barney suddenly announced, the thought of going to Vegas felt so damn right that he didn't care that it was maybe way too soon to take that step.

"What for?" As Barney didn't answer her, Robin lifted her head to look into his face and when she saw his big grin and the mischievousness in his eyes, she took in a sharp breath of surprise. "No, you can't be serious."

"Wait a sec." Barney jumped out of bed, snapped a towel and wrapped it around his waist, grabbed his wallet out of his jacket and stormed towards the door.

"Where are you ..." But Barney had already disappeared out of the room, leaving a completely baffled Robin behind, who struggled to make any sense of the last few minutes.

He was out there to do only god knew what and Robin shook her head in disbelief. How could she have fallen in love with him? He was completely unpredictable. Her eyes were still glued to the door, waiting for Barney to reappear. He couldn't have gone that far only clad with a towel.

As the seconds ticked away, a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. That was exactly why she'd fallen in love with him. He never ceased to surprise her and she could feel the rising flutters in her stomach and a few seconds later her whole body began to tingle and her heart was thumping wildly in her chest. Did he really just suggest what she thought he was suggesting? Going to Las Vegas could only mean one of two things. The look on his face clearly told her that he hadn't been talking about gambling, though eloping to Vegas to get married could be considered gambling if you looked at their track records regarding romantic relationships.

But she had still no clue where he'd run off to and why he'd needed his wallet. Suddenly the door burst open and Barney walked into the room with a bag of candy in his hand, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Robin raised her eyebrows in question, fearing that he'd gone crazy over the last few minutes, because he'd run half-naked to the vending machine to get gummi bears.

"Why did you run out, almost nude, to get gummi bears? I still have my snack pack from the plane."

"I'm not hungry and these are not gummi bears, it's a bag of sour pacifiers." Barney held the bag up, to show her the content.

"Sour pacifiers? I could swear that you don't like sour candy. Why do they call it pacifier anyway?" Robin spoke quickly, trying to overcome her nervousness by talking about some nonsense. "They don't even look like pacifiers. They look more like a key than a pacifier, though a key usually doesn't have a hole. Actually they don't look like a key either. Well, maybe like an old one."

"You are rambling." Barney said softly,

"So why did you buy them anyway?"

Barney opened the bag, retrieving one pacifier and Robin looked at him dumbfounded, clearly at a loss what he wanted to do with it. Barney threw the rest of the bag on the next chair and locked eyes with her, slowly walking towards the bed. When he reached the edge, his mouth twitched up in a lopsided grin and he bit off the long end of the pacifier, so that only the round end remained in his hand before he slowly lowered himself on one knee, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Oh my god!" Robin pressed her hand against her mouth, her eyes welling up with tears. Her breath whooshed out of her as she realized what he was doing and she whispered hoarsely. "Holy shit!"

"Robin Scherbatsky, I flew over the Atlantic for you. So I'm asking you now ... are you done with running away from me?" Robin looked at him wide-eyed, not able to speak, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I love you, Robin. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Happy 4th of July to all Americans!  
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**I'm sorry that I didn't update this in so long. But the Grey's Anatomy season finale hit me square in the chest and robbed my muse of the ability to write about anyone else than Mark and Lexie. But I will never leave a story unfinished, so I could finally convince my muse to write the final chapter for this story. Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

"Are you insane?" Robin blurted out. "Just yesterday you wanted to marry another woman! Barney, that's insane!"

Barney didn't waver, still kneeling in front of her, smiling up at her. "Robin, it's not insane. This is love. I love you."

"But marriage?" Robin asked him with a shaking voice. "Aren't we jumping the gun here?"

"No." Barney replied determined. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you and you want to spend the rest of your life with me. This is where we are supposed to be, Robin! We are supposed to be husband and wife."

"We are not going to regret this, are we?" Robin said barely about a whisper.

"Is this a yes?" Barney asked, a big smile appearing on his face.

"I can't believe that I'm saying it, but yes." Robin told him, shaking her head in slight disbelief. "Yes, I want to marry you."

Barney slid the sour pacifier on her finger and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her hard, falling back into bed with her to celebrate their engagement in their own unique way.

~B&R~

"Las Vegas?" Lily looked at her cell in utter confusion. "Why do we have to come to Las Vegas?"

"What are you talking about?" Marshall asked her.

"I just got a text from Robin. Barney and she want us to come to Las Vegas as soon as possible, but what …." Lily clapped one hand over her mouth as it suddenly dawned on her. "Ohhhhh myyyy gooooood."

"What?"

"Marshall, we have to get to the airport. Like immediately." Lily replied, already running towards their bed room.

"Why do we have to go to the airport?" Marshall had followed her to the bed room and leaned against the door frame, looking at her confused as she pulled their suitcases out of the closet.

"To fly to Las Vegas." Lily said slightly exasperated, rolling her eyes as if Marshall had to know that.

"But why ..." Marshall started to speak but Lily already pressed her phone against her ear and he gave up getting any straight answer out of her.

"Ted? Did they write you, too?"

"I just got a strange text from Barney to come to Las Vegas." Ted replied. "Are you talking about this text?"

"Yes. Vegas, Ted!" Lily shouted excitedly. "Vegas!"

Ted could hear the excitement in Lily's voice and it took him a few seconds until the penny dropped. "Holy shit! They are gonna get married?"

"What else should they do in Vegas? I can't believe it. Barney and Robin are going to get married."

~B&R~

They'd spent an enormous amount of money to get to Las Vegas the same day but they wouldn't want to miss the wedding of Barney and Robin for anything and they weren't sure that they wouldn't just get hitched without them if they had to wait too long.

When they finally arrived at the airport, Barney and Robin were already waiting for them, both grinning from ear to ear. Lily rushed towards them, throwing her arms around Robin and hugging her tightly while Ted and Marshall approached Barney, congratulating him almost as enthusiastically as Lily did only a few seconds later before she turned around to Robin again, admiring the sparkling diamond ring on her finger that Barney had bought her during the day to replace the candy ring. But Robin had stashed the candy ring securely in her suitcase, telling herself that she would find a way to preserve it.

As they'd settled into the hotel, Ted and Marshall met in the bar for a drink, waiting for Barney to join them while the women were shopping for a dress.

"What does it say about our group that it doesn't feel the slightest weird that we are here to watch our friends getting married after the groom was standing at the altar with another woman only two days ago?" Ted asked Marshall amused.

"That it never gets boring?" Marshall replied, chuckling slightly.

"Yeah, that's for sure."

"But in a weird way it makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it kind of does. To Barney and Robin." Ted raised his glass and clunked it against Marshall's.

"To Barney and Robin."

~B&R~

"Lily?" Robin asked quietly.

"Yes?"

"Is this all a huge mistake?" Lily looked up from righting Robin's dress and saw the scared look on her face.

"Robin, you two are meant to be." Lily took her hands into hers, squeezing them tightly. "Be glad that you are in love with your best friend. It can't get any better. He loves you and you love him. Not to mention your chemistry. You could set whole rooms on fire with your sexual tension."

"I seriously doubt that it's gonna be like this for the rest of our lives."

"What? The sexual tension?" Lily asked. "Don't be silly, Robin. If anyone is going to have sex when they are old and wrinkled and hardly able to walk anymore it's you two. I wouldn't be surprised if you are gonna die in bed together."

"Lily!" Robin exclaimed before she suddenly burst into laughter when she imagined them having sex with their false teeth lying on the night stand. "Okay, you do have a point."

"Robin, ..." Lily suddenly said all serious again. "You are going to be just fine. Everyone can see the love you share. You just have to believe in it."

"Easier said than done, Lily."

"No one can give you any guarantees when it comes to love, Robin. You just have to take the leap and hope that he is always gonna be on the other side to catch you."

"Yeah, I think I can do that."

"Okay then. Let's make Barney the happiest man on this planet."

~B&R~

"I'm not making a mistake, am I?

"You are seriously asking me if you are making a mistake?" Ted asked incredulously. "Again?"

"Well, ..." Barney smiled shakily. "You rescued me from doing one only two days ago. I thought I should make sure that you are not gonna interrupt the ceremony this time."

"No." Ted replied quietly. "There is no reason to interrupt the ceremony this time. You are going to marry the love of your life."

"That she is, right? The love of my life?"

"Do you really have to ask me that?"

"No." Barney said firmly. "I just can't believe that she loves me back. I never thought I would stand at the altar with her. That she would choose me to spend the rest of her life with."

"I always thought I would end up with her, but I think the moment you two admitted that you have feelings for each other I was out of the picture." Ted told him quietly. "I never had a chance against you, Barney. She wasn't even really in love with me when we were together because her true love is standing in front of me right now."

"I'm sorry, Ted."

"What for? You can't choose who you are falling in love with and I'm happy for you two. I really am. I might not have seen it from the very beginning but I know now that you belong together."

"Thank you, Ted. I wouldn't be standing here without you. Thanks for being my best friend."

"You're welcome, Barney. Now let's get out of here and get this ring on your finger."

~B&R~

The moment Robin started to walk down the aisle and her eyes locked with Barney's every doubt vanished in a heartbeat. She'd almost lost him to another woman but now he was waiting for her, waiting for the moment when they were finally going to be man and wife.

As she stood beside him in front of the minister, she could hardly follow what the minister was saying. Everything felt like a blur. The only thing she could concentrate on was Barney's fingers around hers and his blue eyes shining brightly every time she looked at him.

When the time came to say their vows they turned around to face each other and Barney took her hands firmly into his before he started to speak.

"I, Barney, take you, Robin, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." Barney spoke softly, slipping the ring on Robin's finger before he locked eyes with her again. "I love you, Robin, and I'm still somehow shocked that you really agreed to marry me. Thank you for believing in us. It took you long enough." Barney grinned when he saw how she furrowed her eye brows. "I loved you since the moment you showed me your music video maybe even before that. I ..." Barney stopped, suddenly self-conscious to tell her what he wanted to say. "I think I was waiting my whole life for someone like you. Some people never find their true love. I did and it happens to be one of my best friends. I couldn't get any luckier. I love you."

Robin gulped hard, not willing to let the tears fall. Taking his hand into hers she started to speak her vows.

"I, Robin, take you, Barney, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." Robin said with a slightly shacking voice, slipping the ring on his finger before she continued. "We never had it easy. I don't think we even know how to do easy. But somehow that's what makes us, what makes this relationship, so special. I love you, Barney. I ran away from you twice and I'm sorry that I had been such a coward. But I'm here now and I'm not gonna run away again. You are right. It took me long enough to finally realize that it doesn't matter how scared I am as long as you are by my side to be scared with me. I love you."

Barney cradled her face between his hands, leaning towards her and sealing her lips with his, giving her a thorough kiss. Ted smiled happily and Lily dabbed her cheeks with a kleenex, obviously extremely moved by the vows her two best friends had just exchanged. Marshall looked down at her, wrapping his arm around her and pulled her tightly into his side. When Barney released Robin's lips they intertwined their hands, looking to the minister, waiting for him to make the announcement.

"I now present to you. Mr. and Mrs. Stinson."

Robin and Barney turned around to the three people standing a few feet away from them, their smiles splitting up their faces and the tears rolled down Lily's cheeks again when she saw how happy they were. They might not have an easy path ahead of them but she was certain that their love to each other would never cease and they would overcome all obstacles that would get thrown into their ways. They belonged together. They were meant to be.

**The End**

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><p><strong>I'm so happy that Robin is Barney's bride and that we already know that they really will get married. I'm so looking forward to next season. I can't wait to see how they finally get back together. Knowing these two it's probably gonna be very steamy and passionate. :-)<strong>


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